Chad Martin did not have time on his first day as chief of police to clear the confetti from the carpet of his new office at the Hanover Borough Police Department.

The "happy retirement" balloons left by his predecessor were quickly relocated to a closet.

Still, he made sure to take a moment to set up a picture of his father, dressed in a similar patrolman uniform, on a shelf facing his desk.

Martin, previously a lieutenant for the department, was sworn in as the new chief of police Nov. 24. He took over the position for former Chief Dwayne Smith, who had served with the department for 26 years before formally resigning later that same night.

A small crowd of family, friends and colleagues filled the meeting room to watch Smith pass the torch to Martin, who has served the borough himself for about 19 years.

Martin was the perfect candidate to take over operations at the borough, Smith said, adding that his family legacy in the department added a layer of tradition to the promotion.

The new chief's father, Wayne Martin, was a patrolman with the police department for 32 years and even served alongside his son for several years before he died in 2007. The two men have collectively spent more than 50 years serving as Hanover Borough law enforcement, Smith said.

Martin was always impressed by his father's job and wanted to grow up to be a policeman, The Evening Sun previously reported.

A table with Wayne's uniform, shoes and portrait sat on a table for viewing in the borough meeting room as Martin was being sworn in. The display made his father's presence in spirit feel all the more prevalent, Martin said.

"I've got some big shoes to fill," Martin said.

Some of his goals for the department include carrying on the quality of policing that Smith and another predecessor, Chief Randy Whitson, worked to accomplish, he said.

"I think it's important to stay engaged in the community," he said. "I've taken over a product that the two prior chiefs have cared about in guiding the department. If I can be as accepting as they were of that responsibility, I'll have had a successful tenure as chief here."

Smith began the process of transitioning to a new chief over the summer after serving about two years in the position.

"I recently felt that my purpose here has been fulfilled," Smith said of his decision to part ways with the department. "My role was to build a bridge from past to future."

Knowing he is leaving the department in the hands of Martin was a comforting thought, Smith said.

"When I shed the uniform one final time and hand the keys to Chad, I'll head off to something new," Smith said before the swearing in ceremony. He declined to say what his plans for the future are.

Martin will serve as interim chief until Jan. 3, when Smith's resignation goes into effect. He will oversee a total of 26 individuals who work for the department, he said.